2 killed as intense firefight erupts anew in CamSur

From the Daily Tribune (Nov 17): 2 killed as intense firefight erupts anew in CamSur

Two civilians, one of them a government militiaman, were killed during an intense clash between government security forces and heavily-armed New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Camarines Sur province yesterday.

Maj. Angelo Guzman, public affairs officer of the military’s Southern Luzon Command (Solcom), said that elements of the Army’s 49th Infantry battalion (IB), along with members of Cafgu, were sent to Sitio Sarabangan, Barangay Tinamod in Pasacao town to check on the killing of a civilian by NPA rebels.

However, the government security forces were immediately engaged by around 30 fully-armed NPA rebels in the area. The firefight lasted for about 30 minutes.

 Guzman said that the encountered NPA rebels used machine gun during the clash.
As a result, one Cafgu member and a civilian were killed while two other militiamen were wounded.

 As of press time yesterday, the remains of the slain Cafgu member was not yet recovered.

 Lt. Col. Medel Aguilar, 49th IB commander, said that efforts are now ongoing to recover the body of the slain militiaman.

Guzman said that Solcom chief Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya ordered relentless operation to flush NPA rebels away from their comfort zones in Southern Tagalog to bring about development.

Meanwhile, in Sorsogon province, an Army man, who was in civilian clothes and was about to withdraw his yearend bonus, was killed by NPA rebels yesterday morning.

 Guzman identified the slain Army soldier as Cpl Zaldy Bengua, a member of the 9th IB.

 Guzman said that Bengua, along with his buddy who was not identified for security reason, was aboard a tricycle when three NPA rebels, armed with long firearms, fired upon them at around 7 a.m. along Barangay San Antonio in Barcelona town.

“Bengua was on his way to the town center with his buddy-soldier on a tricycle when the rebels accosted their vehicle,” said Guzman, adding the two soldiers were wearing civilian clothes.

 According to Guzman, Bengua was about to withdraw his yearend salary bonus and remit it to his family when the attack happened.

Bengua, armed with .45 caliber pistol, tried to engage the communists but the rebels immediately fired at him. The Army corporal died on the spot.

The second soldier, however, managed to save a mother and her two children who were also aboard the tricycle when he dragged them to safety.

 Guzman said that the rebel assassins immediately fled.

 Col. Cesar Idio, commander of the Army’s 903rd Brigade, immediately ordered pursuit operations against the communist-ambushers as he vowed intensified combat operations against the NPA in Sorsogon and Masbate.

“This incident, while isolated, will further intensify the effort of the 903rd Birgade to continue its aggressive conduct of focused military operation in the affected areas to win the peace in Sorsogon and Masbate provinces,” Idio said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/2-killed-as-intense-firefight-erupts-anew-in-camsur